Max and his crush (Rumer Willis) get put in harm’s way when a botched bank robbery leads the team to determine that the criminals had very unexpected motives. Meanwhile, Danny is stuck with the tough task of coming to the rescue of the most beautiful women in the world when a stalker goes after a Victoria’s Secret model.

Verne Gay

Chuck Barney

CBS has presented viewers with an exciting gift this fall. Their "Five-0" update not only doesn't stink, it's an action-packed, easy-on-the-eyes thrill ride that is slicker and sexier than the original series that aired from 1968 to '80.

Ken Tucker

So far, O'Loughlin has come most alive when he's engaged in the premiere's close-quarters, elbow-chopping fight scenes. But it's clear that, like other CBS shows from NCIS to CSI, the team byplay is going to be the heart of Hawaii Five-0. Thank goodness Caan is here to provide gruff humor, and Kim and Park play off each other nicely.

Matthew Gilbert

They make an appealing team, and it doesn't hurt that they're chasing bad guys through the breathtaking--and HDTV-ready--beauty of Hawaii. There's nothing groundbreaking going on here, just old-fashioned action-adventure fun. New old-fashioned fun, that is.

Alan Sepinwall

Mary McNamara

O'Loughlin's by-the-book performance is buoyed by a fast-paced script and a splendid supporting cast, including and especially Scott Caan as Danno, that radiates enough hit-making energy to render even Oahu's azure waters and perfect sunsets superfluous.

Hank Stuever

Hanh Nguyen

For those who loved the original series, the theme song is intact, and the phrase "Book 'em, Danno" isn't used lightly. Other than that, this "Hawaii Five-0 2.0" is its own beast, slow-roasted in the ground until it's ready for crowd-pleasing perfection.

Paige Wiser

The ingredients for eye-rolling failure are all here: Sample dialogue: "Your superiors say that you're the best they've ever seen"; foreign terrorists for bad guys; one female team member who makes Maggie Q from "Nikita" look like a prissy hack, and, oh, yes--it's an election year. But Hawaii Five-O works, and for one reason: Scott Caan, who is the second coming of cool.

Tom Gliatto

O'Loughlin's an impressively taciturn, tense presence" You get the sense that McGarrett could go to a luau and still experience it as a hurt locker. As McGarrett's sidekick Danno, Scott Caan is the opposite: all quick, bantam energy. He steals scenes as coolly as surfers catch waves. [27 Sep 2010, p.53]

Lily Moayeri

While Hawaii Five-0 Mark II has none of its predecessor's cringe factor, the classic theme music retains its blood-rushing quality with a sharp, updated recording. And when McGarrett first utters the infamous line, "Book 'em Danno," we dare you not to let a little grin escape.

James Poniewozik

Glenn Garvin

This remake keeps the scenery and action--exploding cars and AK-47 gunfights appear to be to Honolulu what thieving politicians and senile I-95 motorists are to Miami--but adds some compelling post-9/11 wrinkles.

Nancy DeWolf Smith

While some criminals may escape, it's all happening in sunny Hawaii; and every time bad guys kick up a fuss, we know the good guys will kick back harder. The closing line, 'Book 'em, Danno,' may be a cultural joke, but it also sounds good as a promise.

Linda Stasi

David Hinckley

The story and the chemistry work, but periodically the action feels rushed, as if we all know the drill and we might as well get it over with. Future episodes may correct that, because they'll need less setup work.

Chris Conaton

That effort to seem "contemporary" carries over into the plot too: the new task force has "immunity" from the Governor to do whatever it takes to catch the bad guys, the better to keep up with shows like 24, one presumes. They aren't just detectives, they're a special arm of the law that doesn't have to adhere to "procedure" and "regulations."

Maureen Ryan

Yet despite the dude-tastic charisma that Caan brings to Danno, I can't quite see a reason to watch Hawaii Five-0 again, given that each week, the stories will probably feel like something we've already seen on 'NCIS,' 'NCIS Los Angeles' or any number of the 'CSIs.' Bad guys will be caught, the team shall be triumphant. Rinse and repeat.

Jonathan Storm

Ellen Gray

O'Loughlin's American accent has long proved a hindrance, tending to leave him sounding flat and wooden, but he's hardly helped by the writing, which makes even the far more talented Smart sound not so smart, or the plotting, which is dark, and not in a good way.